Jacoby Brissett Practices for Cardinals for First Time, But Contract Standoff Isn’t Over
Jacoby Brissett finally took the field with his teammates. His contract still hasn’t caught up.
The Arizona Cardinals quarterback participated in Thursday’s training camp practice for the first time this offseason, a signal that a new deal could be close — even though nothing is finalized. It’s the first real crack in a standoff that has hung over coach Mike LaFleur’s first camp in Glendale, according to The Associated Press.
Brissett sat out every voluntary offseason session and was effectively holding in during mandatory minicamp — showing up, but not participating on the field. He’s due only $1.5 million in guaranteed money on the final year of a two-year, $12.5 million deal, and if he stays the Week 1 starter at that number, he’d be among the lowest-paid quarterbacks in the league, per the AP.
The two sides haven’t found a number they can agree on. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported there was no deal in place as camp opened this week, and Brissett — who is negotiating without an agent — is reportedly eyeing something closer to the $11 million range that stopgap starters like Justin Fields and Kirk Cousins have landed elsewhere.
Baker’s Frustration Boils Over on Social Media
Safety Budda Baker made his feelings known on X earlier this month, and he didn’t walk it back Thursday.
Baker posted on X: “Just want bro to get his (expletive) done… he is not asking for what you think. Bro is asking for below the bare minimum. Let’s just get it done!!!” — https://x.com/Buddabaker3
He backed that up in person after Thursday’s practice. “I definitely think Jacoby did a great job coming in last year,” Baker said, according to the AP. “I know we didn’t get the wins that we wanted to get, but I think he commanded the offense at a high level.”
Baker isn’t just a locker-room voice on this one. He’s coming off his eighth Pro Bowl selection, finishing last season with 120 total tackles, five passes defended and an interception even as his numbers dipped slightly from prior years. When a captain with that resume speaks up publicly for a teammate stuck in a money fight, it tends to get noticed inside the building — and outside it.
A Three-Man Race, For Now
LaFleur has stopped short of naming Brissett the starter outright, even with the contract drama swirling. The coach described Thursday’s session bluntly: “I’d describe it as practice one on July 23,” he said, declining to tip his hand on where Brissett, veteran Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck stand in the pecking order, per the AP.
That competition matters because of what happened last year. Brissett started the final 12 games of the 2025 season and threw for 3,366 yards with 23 touchdowns against eight interceptions — solid individual numbers. But the Cardinals went 1-11 in his starts and finished last in the NFC West at 3-14, the kind of record that makes it hard for any front office to hand out a raise without at least making the player sweat first.
| Category | 2025 Stat |
|---|---|
| Passing Yards | 3,366 |
| Touchdown Passes | 23 |
| Interceptions | 8 |
| Cardinals Record With Brissett Starting | 1-11 |
What the Cardinals Are Dealing With Beyond the QB Room
The quarterback battle isn’t the only distraction LaFleur has had to manage. Starting left tackle Paris Johnson and edge rusher Josh Sweat both opened camp on the physically unable to perform list with knee issues, though LaFleur downplayed any long-term concern for either. “The Paris thing, that’s really, honestly nothing,” LaFleur said. “Same thing with Josh. He was in great spirits and looked really good,” the coach added, per the AP.
Off the field, the situation has been messier. The NFL suspended longtime Cardinals personnel executive Ryan Gold indefinitely on July 17 after an investigation found he’d shared confidential draft information and placed parlay bets on NFL and college games. Days later, offensive lineman Isaiah Adams was arrested in Canada on four weapons charges; his attorney says Adams is innocent. Both situations have piled onto a training camp that was already carrying plenty of weight before the pads went on.
Why Baker Isn’t Worried About the Outside Noise
With the Cardinals’ relatively quiet offseason — outside of drafting running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 and signing guard Isaac Seumalo — plenty of outsiders have written the team off before the season starts. Baker isn’t one of them.
“It doesn’t really get to me because they’re just on the outside looking in,” Baker told The Athletic’s Doug Haller. “At the end of the day, the only guys that matter are the guys in the huddle. The guys on the field. With the player personnel we have, with the coaching staff we have, I have very high expectations for this team.”
Baker also admitted the standoff has tested his patience, mostly because he wants his quarterback getting reps. “That’s just how I am. I just want everyone to be on the field,” he said, per The Athletic. “Just the ability to have (Brissett) even practicing, that’s going to be good for him because he hasn’t practiced at all.”
Arizona has reached the playoffs just once in the last decade. Getting Brissett settled — and on the field consistently — looks like step one in trying to change that trend.